Higher and Technical Education
Under Vinod Tawde as the minister for Higher and Technical Education, the department focused on the educational growth parameters that go beyond the realms of pure academics and encourage the basic inquisitive nature of the students in their quest for knowledge.
The core aim of the department was to empower the students of Maharashtra to explore for themselves and take an active interest in the scientific inquiry of various phenomena around us. Vinod Tawde believes that the practical application of the core knowledge is true learning and therefore, as a Minister he urged the department to encourage research and exploratory studies in all fields of study.
Fee Regulation in Educational Institutes
The Department of Higher and Technical Education introduced the Fee Regulation Act, under Vinod Tawde’s leadership. This act was applicable to all educational institutes across the state in order to curb the rampant commercialization of education and private institutes treating the field of education as a profit-making enterprise. The Fee Regulation ordinated the core fee structure uniformity of any given educational institute as per their incurred expenditure, the government granted subsidies, land fee, additional fees and donation structure.
The Fee Regulation Act took 15 long years to be implemented, despite having judicial permissions because of the ulterior motives of the Congress-NCP government, after its implementation under the leadership of Vinod Tawde, this act helped in curbing the rampant commercial approach to education, thereby helping the BJP government in Maharashtra to divert Rs. 2900 Cr towards the education of marginalised communities.
IIIT Centres in Pune & Nagpur
To expand the outreach of technical education across the state and enable students from different part of Maharashtra an equal opportunity to receive a quality education, The Department of Higher and Technical Education, Vinod Tawde initiated Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Centres in Pune and Nagpur.
Task Force for Higher Education
With none of the State’s Universities falling into the category of top 200 universities in the world, then Governor and Chancellor of Maharashtra, Hon. Vidyasagar Rao with State’s education department aimed at enabling at least two of the State Universities in the global top 100 universities list. Additionally, under Vinod Tawde’s leadership, plans were chalked for grooming 10 universities and 50 colleges into ‘Centers of Excellence’ on the national levels.
To do so, Tawde pushed for streamlining of the areas of Teaching Faculty calibre, examination patterns, student-teachers ratio and core infrastructural amenities. A Special Task Force was commissioned to aid this process. Senior education expert Raghunath Mashelkar was appointed to this task force.
Reforms in Higher Education
To encourage students to take an active interest in education The Department of Higher and Technical Education, under Vinod Tawde’s leadership urged the universities to introduce Choice based Credit system by which students can enrol for their preferred subjects thereby helping the overall merit of the students.
Going beyond academics, Tawde was instrumental in introducing the Maharashtra Public University Act 2016, which was unanimously passed in both the houses of Maharashtra State Assembly. This was a concrete step towards paving the way for a student centred-act in Maharashtra. The act granted greater autonomy to universities in the state, implementing choice based credit system, student elections giving them a voice in the decision making process. Furthermore, this act makes provisions for grievances redressal and methods to curb outdated techniques, promoting improved education standards in the universities.
Aiming to further strengthen the Higher Education in the state, Vinod Tawde spearheaded the initiative to sanction the long-pending ‘Deemed University’ status for 11 universities in Maharashtra. By facilitating this, Tawde empowered millions of students to gain access to quality education, achieve their academic aspirations and gain access to world-class education through special education programs supported by leading international universities.
UPSC Coaching for students
Identifying the calibre of students of the state, Vinod Tawde urged theDepartment of Higher and Technical Education to make provisions for special coaching and educational training for the students to increase the percent of Maharashtra’s representation in the qualifying candidates of UPSC students. The efforts of the department were reflected in the successful qualification of 200 for UPSC through the entrance exam.
Rajarshree Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj Educational Fee Scholarship Scheme
Vinod Tawde firmly believes that economical constraints should not be a hurdle in achieving academic aspirations. Under his leadership, the Department of Higher and Technical Education implemented the Rajashri Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj Educational Fee Scholarship Scheme. Under this, the Department of Higher and Technical & Education empowered students to spread their wings. The Department reimbursed 50% of fees to college students under this scheme. The scholarship scheme was applicable to students from the marginalised communities and the students whose family income was less than Rs. 8 lakh.
Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Hostel Subsistence Allowance Scheme
Opening new avenues for rural students and helping them pursue their academic goals. Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Hostel Subsistence Allowance Scheme was introduced by the Government of Maharashtra, under Vinod Tawde’s leadership as the Minister for Higher and Technical Education. Dr. Punjabrao Deshmukh Scheme provided accommodation and hostel fee for the children of poor farmers in Maharashtra. The initial scheme of Punjabrao Deshmukh was focused only on the children from agricultural based poor families, but later it included students who are all from financially weaker families in the state. The main aims of the scheme are to increase awareness of higher education among students from a rural and agricultural background.
IIM chapter in Nagpur
Under Vinod Tawde’s leadership, Maharashtra proudly opened doors to the Nagpur Chapter of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) thus providing the students of Maharashtra with a prime cadre of world-class education and improving the educational amenities of the state.
Teachers Training Institute
Master Plan for Coordination with Planning & Industry Dept